Greet the sunrise on National Gingerbread Day, November 21 with gingerbread bagels, pancakes, coffee and lattes. Watch the sunset over a gingerbread martini and truffles. Plenty of time in between to bake autumn’s dynamic spice and squash duo into pumpkin pie gingerbread bars, stir together gift-worthy batches of gingerbread-spiced hot cocoa mix and 15-minute gingerbread Chex mix, and watch a gingerbread house-building tutorial for aspiring architects. Thinking of remodeling? Disneyland’s recipe will surely turn your kitchen into a magical kingdom.
Autism is becoming the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the U.S. with one in 68 children diagnosed, and Autism Speaks is on the run toward determining causes, prevention, treatment and a possible cure. Join event sponsor Bantam + Biddy in taking the cause under wing. Slip on those running shoes for a morning jaunt around Piedmont Park in the 4th annual Autism Speaks 5k Run/Walk on Saturday, November 21. The more the merrier! Round up family, friends and coworkers to cross the start line at 9 a.m. Register online before 8 p.m. Friday, November 20. Even if you can’t participate in person, Autism Speaks will give thanks for your “virtual 5k” contribution when you donate here.
Chick-a-Biddy and the Alliance Theatre are offering a dinner and show package that even frugal Scrooge would appreciate. On Thursday and Saturday evenings (except for November 26 and December 24), sit down to a three-course dinner at the Atlantic Station restaurant followed by the evening’s performance of “A Christmas Carol” for just $60 (including taxes and fees, excluding gratuity). Chick-a-Biddy is just a short drive from the Alliance Theatre at Midtown’s Woodruff Arts Center. Dinner includes a choice of appetizer, entrée, dessert and beverage (cocktail, beer, glass of wine, soft drink or tea) from a special pre-theater menu befitting of the merry dinner scene at the story’s end. Magical experiential gift idea for those who already have plenty of coal and other stuff. Use promo code BIDDY60 when purchasing online or at 404-733-5000. Limited to parties of six or less; may not be combined with other offers or discounts; not valid on previously purchased tickets or for all seating sections. Subject to availability.
The Day League’s “A Night in Good Taste” wine tasting and silent auction shines the light on sexual assault, a topic all too often left in the dark. Chef Kevin Gillespie serves as the honorary chair for this year’s fundraiser at the Druid Hills Golf Club on Thursday, November 19 from 6:30-9 p.m. Wine, a delicious buffet and smooth jazz sounds provide a relaxing background so guests can concentrate on shopping the silent auction for goodies and experiences like dinner at Revival. Proceeds sail directly to the non-profit’s healing work in providing sexual assault care, prevention education and advocacy for youth and adult survivors in and beyond the metro-Atlanta area. Buy tickets online, $85 per person. Info:natalie@dayleague.org.
Ray’s Rio Bravo is better than ever with specials for its Atlanta amigos of all ages. Thirsty adults, Ray’s has some all day, every day deals for you: $15 pitchers of house, strawberry and seasonal fruit margaritas and $10 pitchers of draught beer for cerveza lovers. Kiddos, steer the folks to Ray’s on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday nights when kids eat for free. Choose cheese quesadillas, chicken tacos, chicken enchiladas, mini beef burritos or chicken fingers -- all served with a soft drink, choice of side and a scoop of ice cream. That headliner chile con queso or queso blanco? Complimentary from the 11 a.m. opening hour until 3 p.m. Wednesday, November 18 through Wednesday, November 25. Hold your horses, there’s another big deal going on that week. Every hour from open to close, the cantina will cover the final check for one randomly selected table or bar tab. Fast math calculates that’s 80 hours and 80 complimentary checks.
Seen the planning charts for organizing Thanksgiving dinner? One month out do this. Two weeks out do that. Set the table and the buffet. Buy the wine and thaw the turkey. Stop. Reflect. Be thankful for family, friends and Atlanta restaurants ready to gobble up any stress with all-you-can-eat buffets and scrumptious take-away entrées and sides. You’ll only need to make reservations. So blessed.
Kick off the celebration early and give thanks at Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Virginia-Highland where they’re throwing a Thanksgiving Eve party with New Belgium Brewing Company on Wednesday, November 25. Make your way back on Thanksgiving Day for dinner service beginning at 4 p.m. featuring Big Green Egg smoked turkey and all the fixin’s. Priced at $28 for adults, $18 for young adults and $10 for children 10 and under. Reservations are recommended for dinner. Call 404-876-7249.
10th & Piedmont hosts its traditional Thanksgiving Day buffet from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Stations cover all the food groups: a carving station for roasted garlic prime rib and slow-baked brown butter turkey breast; cold station for salads, fruits and cheeses; a hot station bears roasted butternut squash bisque, Creole shrimp and stone-ground yellow grits, traditional turkey cornbread dressing, triple-cheese mac and cheese, candied sweet potatoes and more; and dessert central offers pumpkin pie, Southern pecan pie, chocolate ganache cake, apple butter crumble bread pudding, Dutch apple pie and Chantilly banana pudding. $34.95 per person. Call 404-602-5510 for reservations.
Ray’s Restaurants’ buffets give center stage to Thanksgiving staples and signature Ray’s favorites. Dine at Ray’s on the River from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. for $45.95 per adult and $22.95 per child (ages 5-10). The spread at Ray’s at Killer Creek also is available from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. and is priced at $37.95 per adult and $18.95 per child. Ray’s in the City closes an hour earlier, with its buffet running from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. and also priced at $37.95 per adult and $18.95 per child. For full menus and reservations, visit raysrestaurants.com.
Saltwood Charcuterie & Bar spotlights a family style lunch and dinner menu on Thanksgiving Day. For $65 per person, guests can enjoy a traditional turkey dinner or baked Chilean sea bass along with such selections as roasted butternut squash soup, smoked country ham, roasted root vegetables, sweet potato roulade and local apple fritters. Lunch, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; dinner, 5-9:30 p.m. Call 404-745-5000 for reservations.
Turkey to go
Let Bantam + Biddy on Crescent Avenue handle the cooking this year with a to-go Thanksgiving feast that easily feeds 10-12 hungry and grateful guests. Spread includes a 12- to 15-pound roasted Amish turkey, classic mashed potatoes, braised collard greens, sage and wild rice stuffing, homemade giblet gravy, a quart of spicy cranberry sauce, cornbread and North Georgia apple pie, all ready to heat and serve. Place orders for the $200 feast by 5 p.m. on Saturday, November 21. Pick up between 1-3 p.m. on Wednesday, November 25 at the Crescent Avenue location only. To place your order, call 404-725-5059 or email wecater@bantamandbiddy.com.
Make Wednesday night prep even easier or say, "arrivederci!" to tired turkey leftovers. Please the family with grab-and-go Italian fare from newly opened Bellina Alimentari in Ponce City Market (PCM). Bellina's Market in the PCM Food Hall has take-home, family style portions of lasagna and other Italian favorites to heat, eat and satiate your crowd pre- and post-Thanksgiving feast.
Feed a table of six to eight guests for $75 with a 12-to 14-pound apple-brined Thanksgiving turkey from Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails accompanied by Madeira gravy and sage-corn spoonbread. Sides of mashed or rosemary-roasted potatoes, green beans, grilled asparagus and pimiento cheese grits are available for $20 per quart. Place orders online by Friday, November 20 for pick up November 24 and 25.
Traditionalists preferring to roast or smoke their own Thanksgiving turkey will give thanks for White Oak Pastures'high-quality American Standard Bronze birds that are Animal Welfare Approved, Certified Humane and rated Step 5+ (highest possible rating) by the Global Animal Partnership. Raised completely unconfined on White Oak’s farm, they come to the table free of antibiotics, hormones and other additives—and completely delicious. Pricing is $75 for small (8-12 pounds), $100 for medium-sized birds (12.1-16 pounds) and $125 for large (16.1 pounds and heavier). Order via White Oak Pastures’ online store. All turkeys will be shipped the week before Thanksgiving (Monday, November 16 – Friday, November 20) to ensure timely delivery.
Post-Turkey Tango
After the big meal, excuse yourself from the table and ease your way to Johnny’s Hideaway to dance off the stuffing and pie. The Buckhead nightspot will open at 7 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Reservations are accepted until 8:30 p.m. Call 404-233-8026.
Next week, it’s all about the turkey. This week, Davidson, North Carolina chef and Bon Appétit award winner Joe Kindred is the attention-grabber as visiting chef for the last Gunshow “Hired Guns” event of the 2015 season. There are a few seats available for tonight, November 17, and Wednesday, November 18. Don’t say, “Oh, shoot, missed it!” Call now to reserve your seats: 404-380-1886. More details on our blog.
Coat. Check. Gloves. Check. New winter menu at Marlow’s Tavern. Check it out this week! Some of the globally inspired offerings whisk diners away, mentally, to warmer locales while others stoke inner warmth for braving the cold outdoors. Think Tuscany for a fresh burrata with roasted tomato and eggplant caponata served alongside toasty ciabatta and topped with parsley olive oil. Warm and filling, the “Cuban-style” slow-roasted pork sandwich melds together local Berkshire pork loin, chimichurri, red onion and cheddar, all slathered with chipotle barbecue sauce and pressed together in a Cuban roll. Take comfort in grilled Golden Legacy Farms wild turkey meatloaf with seared tomato bacon jam, sweet thyme, shaved Brussels sprouts, creamer potatoes, onion confit, Asiago cheese and parsley oil, or pumpkin seed-crusted pan-seared barramundi served with roast golden quinoa, butternut squash, tiny green beans, sage cider cream and spiced seeds. Marlow’s lighter selections go robust. The grilled Atlantic salmon will soon be served with seared Burbank potato, sweet corn, tiny asparagus, crispy bacon and scallion succotash, roast tomato beurre blanc and a crispy potato stick. The restaurant’s Tavern salad will highlight the bounty of fall and winter with field greens, roasted Bartlett pear, butternut squash, quinoa, Asiago cheese, and spiced pumpkin and toasted sunflower seeds with sweet herb dressing. The sweet spot? A soul-satisfying Bartlett pear torte combining roasted caramelized pear with spiced cake, Baileys anglaise and mint syrup. Marlow’s heartwarming foods and spirits keep the frost from biting into your day or night.
The sidewalk doesn’t roll up for the weekend on Saturday nights in historic downtown Braselton. On the contrary, it leads right into Cotton Calf Kitchen where the new Sunday brunch rules the menu from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Chef Javier Viera, well versed in the art of brunching, fills his menu with pleasers for all tastes. Jump on classics such as jumbo lump crab cakes Benedict with grilled asparagus or strawberry-stuffed French toast. Greet the day with Southern favorites like buttermilk biscuits and gravy, pan-roasted shrimp and yellow stone-ground grits or Southern fried chicken and biscuits, all served with tomato basil gravy and Applewood smoked bacon. Cut into a braised chicken burrito with scrambled eggs, cheddar and pico de gallo for a bit of Southwestern heat. Heading for the links at nearby Château Élan? Drive hunger pangs out of range with Cotton Calf’s center-cut sirloin steak and eggs, “Country Boy” breakfast or sunrise burger of Schweid & Sons ground short rib, Gorgonzola, Applewood smoked bacon, a fried egg, lettuce and tomato on a brioche bun sided by breakfast potatoes. Roasted red peppers, wild mushrooms, spinach and caramelized onions pile into the garden omelette. And there’s plenty more on the brunch menu ($12-$24). What’s the hurry? Relax with a craft beer, classic cocktail or a choice wine from the extensive selection. Who knows, you might want to stay on for dinner; service begins at 4 p.m.
Gypsy Kitchen, at The Shops Buckhead Atlanta, turns the post-workday traffic and twilight zone into the two happiest hours of the day. Wine o’clock strikes Monday through Friday evenings from 4:30-6:30 p.m. in the bar area and out on the patio where a rotating selection of high-end red and white wines and a sparkling wine, each priced at $5 per glass, will excite wine enthusiasts. Stave off hunger pangs with small bites from executive chef Matthew Ridgway’s updated menu, including house-brined olives, Marcona spiced almonds or chicken croquetas for $4 and plates of patatas bravas, garlic mushroom caps and crispy chickpeas for $5. Sure beats having your seat on the street.
Apples are falling a little farther from their
North Georgia trees and onto the autumn menu at Revival.
Kevin Gillespie and chef Andreas Müller are taking advantage of access to a
healthy supply of heirloom apples by adding classic cinnamon baked apples with
vanilla ice cream to the Decatur restaurant’s tempters. Slow down. Before
heading for dessert, immerse yourself in a plate of creamed Georgia white
shrimp with red Savannah rice or one of the other seasonal dishes catapulting
local bounty onto the menu.
Himitsu, the new companion luxury lounge for
popular Buckhead restaurant Umi, is now open at 3050 Peachtree Road.
Co-owners Farshid Arshid and Charlie Hendon are samurai-serious about their
devotion to high-end service and classic Japanese bartending, right down to the
last individually embossed piece of crystal-clear ice. Atlanta cocktail artisan
T. Fable Jeon takes the shaker as director to execute an inventive array of
libations from the mind of Himitsu creative director Shingo Gokan. A lengthy
libation list features an extensive sake collection, shōchū, cocktails and
wine, plus a menu of small dishes and desserts. To ensure an exclusive
experience, reservations are required to receive a code to enter the 60-seat,
two-level Himitsu. Reservations can be made by emailing hello@puraibeto.com.
Hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 7 p.m.-1:30 a.m.
Gunshow, chef Kevin Gillespie’s nationally acclaimed Glenwood Park restaurant, concludes its 2015 "Hired Guns" series this week with another top-caliber chef at the range. Joe Kindred, chef and co-owner of namesake Kindred in Davidson, North Carolina, mans the frontline, creating his award-winning, contemporary take on Southern cuisine at Gunshow on Tuesday, November 17 and Wednesday, November 18 beginning at 6 p.m. As Gunshow carts roll by, guests can take captive dishes like lamb tartare, uni aïoli, katsuobushi with seeded toast, and chicken thighs and baked egg, crispy rice, chimichurri and hominy. The “chef’s chef,” as Gillespie calls Kindred, trained at Johnson and Wales in Charleston, South Carolina, garnered experience at well-known Chicago, San Francisco and Charlotte restaurants and was named 2013 “Chef of the Year” by Charlotte magazine -- all before opening Kindred with his wife Katy in February 2015. Flash forward, the historically minded restaurant has been named one of Bon Appétit magazine’s top 10 new restaurants of the year. Keep Kindred in your scope by calling 404-380-1886 ASAP for reservations. If you miss out, well, shoot. Get fired up for the next round of “Hired Guns” starting with a bang in February 2016.
For the four sisters and a friend who started Food in the Airin 2014, the concept was (and remains) simple. Love food. Love travel. Landmarks and scenery are air-apparent backgrounds with food lifted up in the foreground. As in ketchup-scripted chicken tenders above the 40-yard line. An éclair over the Seine in Paris. An all-American ice cream cone standing attention at Mt. Rushmore. Getting the hang of it?
October’s Harvest for the Cure adds another light to the gratitude glow shining brightly this Thanksgiving month. Fueled by gourmet food and vintage wine pairings and framed with acclaimed art, the event raised $325,000 going toward The Georgia Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society’s research to help treat and end MS globally. Many of Atlanta’s most talented chefs and sommeliers, including Gerry Klaskala and Andres Loaiza fromAria as well as those from Gunshow, Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails and others, contributed to the evening’s success. Read more about the event and MS on our blog.
Espresso. Some sip it, Milton’s Cuisine & Cocktails rubs it in.Espresso-rubbed shrimp wakes up palates with its heady friends blue cheese, port, cherry and candied pecan risotto, pomegranate molasses and basil oil ($16). Spear this starter “Nibble” on the menu to enjoy with a glass of wine while poring over mouthwatering “Feed” entrées. (Photo by Terry Jaszcz)
